NyWalleyeGuide.com - If
you are looking for an exciting and truly memorable walleye fishing excursion
that you won't soon forget, I would suggest that you schedule a fishing
trip with the walleye guide.

Please feel free to give me a call for an honest fishing report or more
info on how to book a trip.
Shane Thomas

(315) 298-4530

STEELHEAD:

Winter Hot Spots
Salmon, Oswego rivers offer great trout fishing opportunities.
While the majority of us here in the Northeast are waiting for the chance
to walk on water and do some ice fishing, there are those who are spending
some fun-filled hours and days wrestling with rod-bending, double-digit
trout. These are those hardy anglers who are not afraid to stand in mid-30-degree
waters up to their belts or ride in the front of a drift boat down the
rapids with foamy sprays of water and 25mph winds in their face. Where
else could this be but in Oswego County, where the lure of the winter
steelhead and brown trout fishing on the Salmon and Oswego rivers is irresistible.

Each year at this time, anglers from all over the country head for these
two rivers
for the opportunity to hook up with one of these trophies that will average
anywhere between five and 15 pounds; but there are also those bigger ones
that are always a pleasant surprise. You haven't lived until you've stood
along the shore or in the water of either of these rivers trying to land
a 10-pound, football-shaped brown trout that has no intention of coming
to your net without a fight. Or how about the action of a 17-pound steelhead
who boils the surface after sucking in your egg sac bait and immediately
rips off three-quarters of the line, right down to your reel's backing
before you can stop him? I guarantee you that the adrenaline rush that
follows the sinking of your hook into either of these fish will quickly
make you forget that cold water around your legs and the biting wind chill
on your face and fingers.

The two major waters offering the best winter fishing in Oswego County
are the Salmon and Oswego rivers. These Lake Ontario tributaries receive
over 150,000 yearling steelhead annually from the Department of Environmental
Conservation.

The Salmon River, which is used to generate hydroelectric power, usually does not freeze
over, and flows all winter. Therefore, it offers plenty of fishing opportunities.

Bordered by Route 13, it flows from Altmar through Pulaski to the mouth
at Port Ontario, which offers almost 12 miles of public fishing on both
sides of the river. Public access to the popular shore fishing sites are
well marked, and generally, all have good parking areas. These areas include
the long flat below the Pineville Bridge, the Trestle Hole, the Schoolhouse
Hole in Altmar and the lower fly-fishing-only area which is upstream from
the Route 48 bridge in Altmar.

Year after year, these areas produce good winter fishing, but there are other areas, as well.
What you should be looking for, in terms of where the fish lie, is the deeper, slow-flowing waters,
which is where they will be when the water temperature drops below 40 degrees. And right now,
it is in the low 30s.

The steelhead section of the Oswego River flows right through the city
of Oswego, which is about 45 miles north of Syracuse via routes 481 and
57. Once in Oswego, you will not have any trouble finding the river. The
city has spent a considerable amount of money on its riverfront (Linear
Park) that offers plenty of cement walkways with iron railings that run
the entire west side of the river from the harbor to the power plant.
This is an ideal spot for the shore angler to set up and fish. And there
is plenty of parking nearby. This wall is about six feet above the water
surface, so a long-handled net is recommended. And don't forget, big fish
require big nets.

My favorite way to fish these
two great rivers in the winter is
from the front seat of a drift boat
skillfully maneuvered through the
rapids by a licensed fishing guide.

Drift boat fishing didn't really become popular on the East Coast until
the 1980s, but it has been growing in popularity every year.

These boats are built to ride in the water and respond quickly with
just a slight pull on the oar. Your first ride in a drift boat will be
a true adventure, and once you see how well they are handled by the guides,
you will see their
advantage over fishing from the
shore. Not only can the boat be
held so you can fish a particular
area or pool, but it allows you to
fish waters not reachable by the
shore angler. Also, you will cover
considerably more water. And for
your comfort, most of these drift
boats are equipped with propane
headers in the bow. Average cost
for a seven-hour trip in a drift
boat for two anglers is $300.

DRESS WARM
Whether fishing from shore
or from a drift boat or simply
wading, not only do you need
to be prepared in terms of your
clothing, but also always wear a
personal flotation device.

Layering your clothes works
well. Start with a good set of
thermal underwear, and build
from there.

For your head, start with a good, warm hat, and your coat should be warm,
waterproof and hooded. After trying many different gloves, I found that
the Ice Armor by the Clam Corporation are very good. And lastly, I found
that the best thing to always wear for this type of fishing is a pair
of 5mm neoprene chest waders. These are great for wading in and out of
the water, as well as in and out of a drift boat.

SAFETY
For those of you that will be wading, keep it to a minimum. Those icy,
moving waters are your fooling with. One wrong step and you could lose
your footing and be in some serious trouble. That is why you should forget
about using the felts on your waders for traction. They will ice up and
pack with snow. For the best footing, use corkers or spikes on your boots;
and wear polarized sunglasses to help you see into the water and protect
your eyes from the glare of the sun.

FISHING TIPS
When wading, drifting an egg sac along the bottom natural is highly productive.
For clear water, use eggs wrapped in blue or pink mesh. Most of the local
tackle shops near the water have these already wrapped and ready to use.

Fish these baits on a soft action nine to 10-foot rod with a smooth drag
reel spooled with at least 200 yards of six to l0-pound test monofilament.
For some real use a noodle rod. Tie on a four to six-pound test leader
with a No. 4 or 6 hook with the egg sac to the end of the main line.

Next, using a separate piece of monofilament, attach a dropper line with
either a pencil lead, split shot or a slinky at the junction of the main
line and the leader. A slinky is a series of BBs sealed in a piece of
parachute cord which allows for a quiet presentation for finicky wintertime
steelhead. A slinky can also be purchased at any of the local bait shops
near the rivers. Be sure to adjust your weights so that the egg sac is
just touching the bottom as it drifts.

Quite often, the steelhead bite I is very light and may not be detected,
especially when wearing heavy gloves. One way to avoid missing bites is
to become a line watcher. At the slightest twitch of the line or pause
in the drift, set the hook. To make line watching a little easier, use
a high-visibility line for drift fishing.

For the most current fishing conditions on the Oswego ar Salmon rivers
as well as information on accommodations, and tackle dealers and drift
boat guides, go to the SalmonRiverGuide.com

Please feel free to give me a call for an honest fishing
report or more info on how to book a trip.
Shane Thomas